In a message dated 12/06/1999 7:14:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << the woman who wrote was the one being rude in my point of view. sorry if that person is reading the post, but, that is my opinion. >> To be honest, it seemed a little cold-hearted to me, but this was in writing so it's hard to know what her demeanor is when she responds to a child. Hopefully, there is kindness in the delivery. This person is probably not on the list, by the way. I read this someplace else. Last year, I went on my first vacation since my disability to visit friends in San Diego. While I was there, I met a man who was into birdwatching as I am. He and a buddy took me on a birdwatching expedition, and saved me a lot of time because they knew where all the accessible birding spots were. He has osteogenesis imperfecta. Anyway, we were in La Jolla, doing our birding thing, and a little girl came up to me and asked "why that man was so small." I was very embarrassed because I had just met him, and I didn't know how he responded to questions like that. I said, "Why don't you ask him?" She didn't and left instead. It was a first for me to be approached about someone else's disability. I also thought it was interesting that she came to me and not him. We were both in wheelchairs. The only difference is that I don't look physically different from nondisabled people; he does. Maybe she just happened to be nearer me or something, but at the time I thought it was because she was afraid to talk with him directly. I haven't been able to get out for birding in a while. But when I do, I attach my spotting scope to the side of my chair in a way that if I see something interesting, I can let somebody else look through the scope to see it too. I've noticed that most birders will share their scope sightings. But since my scope is automatically "kid height" I can share my sightings with children. They don't usually get this opportunity since all the scopes around them are situated at a much higher level. They get to use a scope and see a bird they would have otherwise missed, and it gives them a chance to see that a person with a disability is just like they are. It's a pretty cool experience actually. Betty